Canadian Ultimate Championship Tournament Manual

Canadian 4-on-4 Ultimate Championship Series Manual
The Canadian 4-on-4 Ultimate Championship (C4UC) Series shall be run according to
the following guidelines:
Table of Contents
Section 1: Dates and Deadlines
Section 2: Team and Player Requirements
Section 3: Qualification, Bids and Seeding
Section 4: Tournament Structure
Section 5: Tournament Rules
Section 1: Dates and Deadlines
1.0 Dates for C4UC
1.0.1 The preferred dates for C4UC will be the first weekend in April that is not
Easter weekend.
1.0.2 The weekends immediately before or after the preferred weekend will be
accepted if just cause can be shown.
1.1 Dates for Regionals
1.1.1 Ultimate Canada will not have a set weekend for any Regional tournament,
but rather a set date when Regions will need to communicate the rank of teams
that are making bids to C4UC for that year. For 2015 this date shall be March 9th,
2015 for all regions except the host region which must communicate ranking by
March 23rd, 2015. Regional coordinators may submit a request to the competition
committee to use the host region date if they have a qualifying event in March.
1.1.2 Provincial Sports Organizations and Territorial Sports Organizations
(PTSOs) that act as regional coordinators may individually set a date for regionals
in accordance with Ultimate Canada's deadlines.
1.2 Deadlines: Rosters
1.2.1 Teams participating in Regionals must submit their rosters at the start of the
Regional tournament. Only players listed on this roster may play with the team at
the Regional tournament. See Section 2.3 for roster information.
1.2.2 Teams attending C4UC from Regions that do not have Regional
tournaments for their division must submit their rosters by March 15th.
1.3 Deadline: Fees
1.3.1 Ultimate Canada Registered Competitive Athletes. All players must have
paid their Ultimate Canada Registered Competitive Athlete (RCA) fees before
competing in the C4UC. These fees are due no later than March 31st of the
tournament year.
1.3.2 C4UC Player Fees are due no later than March 31st of each year.
1.3.3 There is a 25% late penalty for all C4UC Player paid after March 31st.
1.3.4 Refunds
1.3.4.1 Any team that has paid RCA and C4UC Player Fees that is not
given a bid to C4UC will receive a 100% refund on C4UC Player Fees.
1.3.4.2 Any team that has paid Team, Player or RCA fees and drops out of
C4UC after being given a bid will only receive a refund on C4UC Player
Fees.
1.4 Deposits
1.4.1 Teams intending to compete in the C4UC Series must submit a cheque in
the amount of $250 to Ultimate Canada, by February 28th.
1.4.2 If there are fewer registered teams than bids available on February 15th, a
second deadline will be set for additional teams to register. This second deadline
will not be later than March 1st.
1.4.3 Deposit cheques will not be cashed unless:
- The team forfeits a game at Regionals (except allowable forfeits, see
section 5.5.3).
- The team accepts a bid for C4UC after Regionals and then withdraws
their bid; or
- The team attends C4UC, but does not pay some or all of their Ultimate
Canada Registered Competitive Athlete Fees or C4UC Player Fees.
1.4.3.1 A team shall be considered to have withdrawn its bid if either:
-
The team qualifies outright for C4UC (via Regionals, or
automatically when Regionals is not required), then withdraws
subsequent to accepting the bid to C4UC; or
-
The team is waitlisted following Regionals, accepts a bid that
subsequently becomes available, and then withdraws
subsequent to accepting. A waitlisted team that simply
declines a bid that becomes available will not be considered to
have withdrawn.
1.5 Refunds of deposits:
1.5.1 Teams that do not qualify for C4UC, and teams that attend C4UC and pay
all Ultimate Canada Registered Competitive Athlete Fees or C4UC Player Fees,
will have their cheques destroyed (or returned if requested).
1.5.2 Teams with fees outstanding will have their cheques deposited and put
toward outstanding fees. If the amount outstanding is less than the deposit
cheque, the difference will be refunded.
1.5.3 Teams that qualify for C4UC and withdraw their bid will have their cheques
deposited, but will receive a partial refund if they notify Ultimate Canada
sufficiently in advance, as follows:
- Team withdraws their bid before March 1: Refund of $175 (net penalty
of $75)
- Team withdraws their bid before March 25th: Refund of $125 (net
penalty of $125)
- Team withdraws their bid on or after March 25th: No refund
1.6 Summary of key dates
- January 2, 2015: Registration for C4UC opens
- February 15, 2015: Registration for C4UC closes. PTSOs must communicate the
number of bids their province/territory would like by this date.
-February 28, 2015: Deadline for deposit cheques.
- up to March 22, 2015: Regional Championship roster deadline (vary by region)
- March 15, 2015: Roster deadline for teams with no Regional Championship.
- March 31, 2015: Fee deadline for Registered Competitive Athlete Fee and
C4UC player fee. 25% surcharge after this date.
Note: All deadlines are 11:59pm Eastern time of the date listed unless otherwise noted.
Section 2: Team and Player Requirements
2.0 Eligibility for the C4UC Series
2.0.1 In order for a player to be eligible to play on a team at any level of the
C4UC Series, that player must meet at least one of the following criteria:
2.0.1.1 They are a Canadian citizen or a Landed Immigrant, or;
2.0.1.2 They are a Canadian resident (living in Canada) and have been
playing with their C4UC Series team for at least the three months before
the start of C4UC, or;
2.0.1.3 They have been playing with their C4UC Series team for at least
six months prior to the start of C4UC and have not played in an indoor
tournament for any other indoor team playing in the same division (e.g.,
Open, Mixed…) as their C4UC Series team.
2.0.1.3.1 This requirement states that if a non-resident/non-citizen
wishes to play for a team in the C4UC Series in the Mixed (or
other) division, then they may not play for any other Mixed (or
other) division team in any indoor tournament for the six months
before the start of C4UC.
2.0.1.3.2 Players who qualify under section 2.0.1.3 (nonresidents/non-citizens) count toward a team’s allocation of “out of
Region” players. See Section 2.3.1.2.
2.0.2 Players may compete in only one division at the C4UC. They may not
compete in both the junior division and an adult division. Currently there is only
an adult division.
2.0.2.1 Junior-aged players (18 or under on December 31 of the year of the
C4UC) are not automatically eligible to play in adult divisions. In order
for them to move up to an adult division, they must apply to do so through
the Junior Aged Player Policy.
2.0.2.2 Junior-aged teams are not eligible to compete in the C4UC series
adult divisions.
2.1 Rosters
2.1.1 Teams participating in Regionals must submit their roster before the start of
the Regional tournament. Only players listed on this Roster may play with the
team at the Regional tournament.
2.1.1.1 Players may only appear on one C4UC Series Regional roster in
any single year. However, the player may appear on a different roster at
C4UC as per section 2.3.5.
2.1.1.2 Teams participating in the C4UC Series may have a maximum of
two players on their roster that are currently residing outside the team’s
designated Region as described in Section 3.1.1.
2.1.1.2.1 A player is deemed to be residing in the Region that
he/she:
a) Is physically located in for 50% of the three months
leading up to the C4UC, or
b) Maintains a legal residence as evidenced by a driver’s
license or health card.
2.1.1.2.2 A player who qualifies for two Regional residences must
declare their Regional residence for the C4UC Series. The address
listed in the player’s registration is assumed to be his/her residence
unless they indicate otherwise. Once a Regional residence is
declared, it may not be changed that year for the C4UC Series.
2.1.1.3 Teams may apply to the Ultimate Canada competition committee
for an exception to rule 2.3.1.2 if the team is based in a community near a
Regional boundary. In that case, the team may apply to have players that
live within 50 kilometres of the community considered “in Region”
players. These players would not count toward the three-player allowance
listed in 2.3.1.2.
2.1.1.3.1 The geographic distribution and density distribution of
players will be considered to determine the home region for a team
applying for an exception under rule 2.3.1.3.
2.1.2 To be eligible to play in the C4UC Series, a team must have a minimum of
eight players on its roster.
2.1.2.1 Additionally, teams competing in the Mixed division must have a
minimum of three players of each gender.
2.1.3 Each team is permitted a maximum of 12 players on their C4UC Series
roster.
2.1.4 After rosters have been submitted to Ultimate Canada, teams may add up to
two players to their rosters, so long as those players meet all Ultimate Canada
C4UC requirements for eligibility. New players must also comply with Section
2.3.5.
2.1.4.1 Any changes in submitted rosters (e.g., the addition of up to two
players per section 2.3.4, or the removal of players because of an injury or
other circumstance) must be made five days before the start of C4UC
(March 31st at 8:30am EDT for 2015).
2.1.4.2 At any C4UC Series tournament, any team that is shown to have
an illegal roster after play has started (e.g., a team with players that are not
on their roster or that are otherwise ineligible) will forfeit any previously
played game results (see section 5.5.1), and will also be prohibited from
playing further at the tournament and the C4UC Series with the illegal
players.
2.1.4.3 Any team that is shown to have played at any C4UC Series
tournament with an illegal roster once the tournament is over shall be
removed from the final ranking of the tournament.
2.1.5 A player may play on one team at Regionals and another at C4UC if the
following condition is met:
2.1.5.1 The player’s team from Regionals did not qualify or is not
attending C4UC.
2.1.5.2 If a player’s team qualifies for C4UC at a Regional tournament and
attends C4UC, then they are only permitted to compete at C4UC with that
team.
2.2 Name/Logo/Uniform Guidelines: Ultimate Canada reserves the right to alter, or
require a team to alter, a team name, player nickname, team logo, jersey graphic, or
uniform and/or suggest alternatives at or in conjunction with a Ultimate Canada program
or event should Ultimate Canada personnel determine that the existing name, logo,
graphic, or uniform might hinder the mission of the organization or the goals of a specific
Ultimate Canada program or event. Alterations must meet with the approval of Ultimate
Canada personnel.
2.2.1 All players participating in the C4UC tournament for a given team must
wear jerseys of identical color.
2.2.1.1 It is recommended for all teams attending C4UC that jerseys be
of identical design.
2.2.2 Teams must have two jerseys of distinctly different color.
2.2.2.1 Numbered jerseys are recommended for all teams attending the
C4UC.
2.2.3 Matching shorts are recommended for all teams at the C4UC.
2.2.4 It is recommended that uniform accessories including tights, undershirts,
hats and socks be of identical and/or coordinated style and color.
2.2.5 Ultimate Canada reserves the right to fine and/or disqualify players who fail
to meet the uniform requirements.
2.2.5 Requirements 2.4.1 through 2.4.5 do not apply to Regionals although it is
highly encouraged that they be followed.
Section 3: Qualification, Bids, and Seeding
3.0 Number of Teams in each Division
3.0.1 Each of the current playing divisions (Mixed) shall have the following
number of teams at C4UC.
3.0.1.1 Mixed – 24 teams
3.0.2 No official playing division will be added to the C4UC unless there is a
minimum of 16 teams from five different Regions willing to play in the new
division.
3.0.3 With the approval of the Tournament Organizing Committee and Ultimate
Canada, a division may be expanded to a greater number of teams where adequate
facilities and sufficient interest can be demonstrated within that division.
Expanded divisions that may be approved on a one-time basis do not commit
Ultimate Canada or future organizers to offer the same expanded size at a
subsequent C4UC.
3.0.3.1 Decisions to expand a division will be made by the Ultimate
Canada Competition Committee in consultation with the C4UC
Tournament Organizing Committee. Requests to expand divisions can be
made to the Ultimate Canada Competition Committee by September 1st of
the year prior to the tournament.
3.0.4 Divisions may have fewer teams when not all bids are filled after exhausting
the allocation process in Section 3.1.
3.1 Regional Allocations
3.1.1 Regions are defined by provincial and territorial boundaries.
3.1.2 Regional Allocations to C4UC will be based on the following criteria:
3.1.2.1 (3) Each territory is allocated one bid.
3.1.2.2 (20) Each Province is allocated two bids.
3.1.2.3 (1) The host region is allocated one additional bid.
3.1.2.4 (Balance) Remaining spots (including any spots left open from the
above sections) will be given out as size wildcards to regions that have
filled all their allocated spots. Size wild cards are calculated on February
15th counting teams that each region has submitted to Ultimate Canada as
wanting a bid to the C4UC. In the event of ties, number of current
Registered Competitive Athletes for the region is used to break the tie.
Bids are allocated sequentially from the top of the list. If bids remain, the
next bid will start at the top of the size list again until all bids are
allocated.
3.1.3 All division sizes in 3.1.2 refer to the originally planned size of the division.
Bid allocations do not default to the next lowest level if fewer teams actually
compete.
3.1.4 If a division is increased in size, then bids will be allocated on the basis of
the original division size. All additional bids resulting from the increase will be
allocated as additional wildcard bids following the method listed in 3.1.2.4.
3.2 Regional Qualification:
3.2.1 The task of distributing the allocated bids to teams within the region will be
assigned to the PTSO for that region and must be completed as per section 1.1. It
is recommended that a qualifying tournament is run and that it follows section
3.2.2 through 3.2.4. If the PTSO does not accept this task, then Ultimate Canada
will consider sections 3.2.2 through 3.2.4 when distributing bids to teams.
3.2.1.1 The PTSOs process for assigning bids must be open to all
members within the region.
3.2.1.2 The PTSOs are encouraged to get guidance on their process from
the competition director.
3.2.2 All Regional tournaments for all playing divisions will be run under the
same rules as those in this document.
3.2.3 Regional tournaments should follow generally accepted formats for
determining a ranking of the entered team. It is recommended to Regionals TDs
that Regional tournament formats follow the UPA Manual of Championship
Series Tournament Formats. Other formats must be agreed to by the captains or
approved by Ultimate Canada in advance of the tournament. Ultimate Canada
understands some unique constraints with indoor tournament formats and will
work with TDs as best possible.
3.2.4 Regional tournaments are required in a Region with two or more teams in a
division that have properly submitted a bid to compete at the C4UC.
3.2.4.1 Regional coordinators can waive the requirement to play a
Regional tournament if all teams unanimously agree on seeding within
five days of Ultimate Canada announcing the teams that have sent in a
deposit by the bid deadline.
3.2.4.1.1 Regional tournaments must be played if there are more
teams that have properly submitted a bid than bids available to that
region in a given division.
3.3 Seeding
3.3.1 After all team bids have been sent to C4UC, Ultimate Canada will make the
final decision on seeding the teams.
3.3.1.1 For each division, teams will be split into East (ON, QC, NB, NS,
PEI, NL and NU) and West (BC, AB, SK, MB, YK and NT) and ranked
by Ultimate Canada from 1 to x (where x = the number of teams from
each side of the country).
3.3.1.2 Ultimate Canada will take the following into account when ranking
teams:
3.3.1.2.1 Regional rankings
3.3.1.2.1.1 Regional results must be honoured. A team from
one Region that has ranked higher than another team from
the same Region must always be given a higher seed at
C4UC.
3.3.1.2.2 The Ultimate Canada Competition Director or the
Ultimate Canada Competition Committee may set a hierarchy of
tournaments that will be considered when determining seeding.
Results from the highest-ranking tournament will take precedence
over results from lower ranking tournaments.
3.3.1.2.3 Head-to-head results
3.3.1.2.4 Final placing from other tournaments
3.3.1.2.5 Previous years’ C4UC results
3.3.1.3 Once the seeding lists have been created for each division, the 1st
seed at C4UC will be the top team from the side (East or West) of the
country that the previous year’s champion represented. The 2nd seed will
be the top team from the other side of the country. Seeds will then
alternate from one side of the country to the other until all teams are
seeded.
3.3.1.3.1 Ultimate Canada may adjust the seeding procedure
prescribed in 3.3.1.3 if there is a significant difference in the
number and/or demonstrated strength of teams in from the East and
West sides in a given division. If the procedure is adjusted,
Ultimate Canada shall inform all teams in the division of the
reason for the adjustment.
Section 4: Tournament Structure
4.0 Tournament Structure/Schedule (Pool Games and Playoffs)
4.0.1 The C4UC Tournament will have round robin and cross over games on
Saturday and Bracket play on Sunday. The Ultimate Canada Competition
Committee in consultation with the C4UC Organizing Committee may vary the
Structure and Schedule.
4.0.1.1 If the number of teams in a division differs from the numbers
identified in Section 3.0.1, the C4UC Competition Director shall develop
an alternative schedule for that division subject to the following
guidelines:
4.0.1.1.1 Teams should play no more than four games in one day.
4.0.1.1.2 All teams should play at least six games in the
tournament.
4.0.1.1.3 The schedule will be designed to be played over two
days.
4.0.1.1.4 Schedules are subject to approval by Ultimate Canada.
4.0.1.1.5 The UPA Manual of Championship Series Tournament
Formats may be used as a guide in designing alternative schedules,
subject to meeting the guidelines above.
4.0.2.1 Immediately following all quarterfinal and semifinal games, all
losing teams will be required to either play placement game(s) for final
C4UC rankings, or come to some decision as to which team will gain
which final ranking.
4.0.2.1.1 If one team agrees to play a placement game and can field
a legal team and the other team refuses to play or can not field a
legal team, the team that was willing and able to play the game will
be considered the winner of that game.
4.0.2.1.2 If neither team is willing to play the game and no
agreement can be reached, then Ultimate Canada will assign the
placement of each team based on head-to-head games or, failing
that, point differential from the teams’ quarterfinal and semifinal
games.
4.1 Tie Breakers
4.1.1 In the case of a tied record between two teams, the head-to-head results will
be used to determine the higher-ranking team.
4.1.2 In the case of a tie between three teams, the record in the games between
those teams will be considered. If teams are all 1-1 (a circular tie), point
differentials will be calculated for the games between the three teams. If this
results in a tie, points scored for each team in these games will be used. If this
results in a tie, total point differential for the teams in all current pool games will
be used. If this results in a tie, points scored for each team in all current pool
games will be used. If this results in a tie, total point differential for all games
played in the tournament will be used. If this results in a tie, total points scored for
each team in all games in the tournament will be used. If this results in a tie, some
random contest will be devised to determine the rank of these teams.
4.1.2.1 An example of the point differential is as follows:
Games: (A Beats B 15-11), (B Beats C 15-13), (C Beats A 15-14)
Team A: +3 points
Team B: -2 points
Team C: -1 points
Team A will be ranked 1st, Team C 2nd and Team B 3rd.
4.1.2.2 After one team is selected, either being ranked 1st or 3rd, if the
other two teams are tied on point differential, then the head-to-head result
of the tied teams will be considered.
4.1.2.3 An example of the point differential then head-to-head is as
follows:
Games: (A Beats B 15-12), (B Beats C 15-13), (C Beats A 15-14)
Team A: +2 points
Team B: -1 points
Team C: -1 points
Team A will be ranked 1st (because of point differential), Team B 2nd and
Team C 3rd (because Team B won head-to-head against Team C).
Section 5: Tournament Rules
5.0 Rules
5.0.1 All C4UC Series games (Sectionals, Regionals, and C4UC) shall use the
same version of the rules of indoor 4v4 Ultimate as is currently endorsed by
Ultimate Canada, subject to the specifications below. The current official rules
are “Règlements du championnat québécois 4 contre 4”
(http://fichiers.fqu.ca/CQU4/2012-2013/Reglements_specifiques4c4adopte20121002.pdf, translated to English by OCUA here:
http://www.ocua.ca/4x4-rules). These rules are based on the USAU 11th edition
rules for Ultimate. The rule modifications are summarized in sections 5.1 through
5.4.
5.0.2 Ultimate Canada endorses genuine communication in either official
language throughout the C4UC Series including during active play when players
may count stalls or call infractions in their language of choice.
5.0.3 Contact Call - If contact occurs between the thrower and marker that would
constitute a foul under XVI.H.3.a but the thrower does not release the disc,
"contact" may be called. Play does not stop and the marker resumes the stall count
at "one". Other than resetting the stall count to "one" after the first instance, the
"contact" call is treated as any other marking violation. The marker may contest
the "contact" call by calling "violation", which stops play. If the thrower calls
"contact" after beginning the throwing motion and subsequently releases the disc,
it is treated as if the thrower called "foul".
5.1 Field Size
5.1.1 The field is 18 metres wide and 30 metres long, which includes a pair of end
zones 3 metres deep.
5.2 Game Length, Points and Caps
5.2.1 All games will be scheduled with a hard time cap between 45 and 55
minutes after the starting time. The suggested hard time cap is 50 minutes. There
is no soft time cap.
5.2.1.1 When the hard cap is in effect the game is immediately over unless
the game is tied, in which case, finish the point.
5.2.2 There is no point cap.
5.2.3 Once a time cap is in effect, no team may call a time-out. A time-out call by
the thrower while the disc is live or in play will result in a turnover.
5.3 Time
5.3.1 Time-outs:
5.3.1.1 Time-outs will last for 60 seconds. Offense must be ready after 50
seconds and defense has 10 additional seconds (or 60 total seconds) to setup.
5.3.1.2 Each team has one timeout per half.
5.3.1.3 Contrary to FQU rules, times-outs are allowed in the last five
minutes.
5.3.2 Halftime:
5.3.2.1 Halftime occurs when one team reaches 9 points.
5.3.2.2 Halftime will be no more than two minutes in length. From the
time the last point of a half is scored, the new receiving team will have 1
minute and 50 seconds to signal its readiness for the next pull. The pulling
team will have an additional 10 seconds to pull the disc.
5.4 Pulls and Re-starting play
5.4.1 There will be a pull at the beginning of the game and to start the second half
only. Once a point has been scored, the disc is left in the end zone at the spot in
which it was caught. The disc is put in play at that spot by the opposing team with
acknowledgement of the marker. The team that scored is now on defence.
5.4.1.1 If the disc lands in-bounds (including endzones) and either stays
in-bounds or rolls out of bounds without being touched by the receiving
team, the disc is put in play where it first touched the ground.
5.4.1.2 If the disc lands in-bounds (including endzones) and rolls out of
bounds after touching a receiving player, the disc is put in play at the spot
where the disc crossed the perimeter line.
5.4.1.3 If the disc lands out of bounds, the receiving team can choose to
put the disc in play at the middle of the field where the disc last crossed
the perimeter line by calling “middle” or at the brick mark by calling
“brick”.
5.4.1.3.1 The brick mark is 5m out from the front of the endzone
in the middle of the field.
5.5 Gender Ratio for Mixed Divisions
5.5.1 For all Mixed divisions (including any future age-defined Mixed divisions),
the gender ratio will be defined as 2/2-3/1 (Male/Female).
5.5.1.1 The receiving team or team starting on offense will determine if
the current point will be played with two men and two women, or three
men and one woman.
5.5.1.2 The pulling team or team starting on defense must match the
gender ratio of the receiving team or team starting on offense.
5.5.1.3 In the case of a team fielding fewer than four players, that team
may not have more players of one gender on the field than the opposing
team.
5.5.1.3.1 Example: Offense opts for two women and two men. The
defense may play with one woman and two men, but not with no
women and three men.
5.5.1.3.2 Example: Offense opts for one man and two women
(three players). Defense may play with two men and two women,
but not three men and one women.
5.6 Forfeits
5.6.1 Any team that is shown to have an illegal roster after play has started (per
Section 2.3) will forfeit any previously played game results at a score of 9-0.
5.6.2 If one team is not ready to play at the scheduled game start time, points may
be assessed at a rate of one point for every five minutes until the team signals
readiness to start play. If the score reaches or exceeds half the game total (i.e., 90) before the other team signals readiness, that team forfeits the game by the score
of 9-0.
5.6.3 If a team forfeits a game at the C4UC or a Regional tournament, it forfeits
all future games and finishes at the bottom of the tournament that year except for
the following allowable forfeits:
A) A placement game that is the last game of the tournament for both
teams which neither team wishes to play. If it is a Regional tournament,
then both teams must also be guaranteed to move on or have been
eliminated.
B) A placement game that is the last game of the tournament for both
teams, the teams have played twice with one team winning both games,
and either one of the teams does not want to play the game.
5.6.4 The Regional Coordinator at Regional tournaments, or the Ultimate Canada
C4UC Competition Director at the C4UC, have discretion to give teams that
forfeit a game consideration to continue competing if they deem that the situation
warrants an exception, provided that it does not affect the fairness or integrity of
the competition. For instance, if a team misses the first game of the first day
because of travel problems, consideration should be given.
5.6.5 If a team has a non-allowable forfeit at a Regional tournament, all players
on the roster are disqualified for the remainder of the C4UC Series in every
division.
5.6.6 If the winner and loser of a scheduled game are not determined by playing
Ultimate on the field in accordance with the C4UC rules, it should be considered
a forfeit for the loser and recorded as a score of 9-0
5.6.7 A team is considered to have forfeited a game if the number of players that
can safely play falls below two. The game is recorded as a score of 9-0.